Help with ex mark lazer-Z e series mower blades

noway2

noway2

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Tried changing the blades on the mower today. There is a bolt that you block the blade and then loosen and remove. With the blade, out comes a bolt / spindle with splines that the bolt you just removed goes into. The first two came right out, but the third one did not. It’s jammed. Tried prying and banging on the blade, sprayed PB blaster, etc. no go. I’m thinking the answer may be to remove the belt and the Pulley nut and the pulley and then use a punch to remove the spindle or something, but I want to know for sure before attempting anything, as it stands, you can now with it, but if I eff something up I may be worse off.

Anyone encounter this before and know what to do?
 
On my Exmark metro 36 I had to use a socket on top and a wrench in bottom. The whole bolt came out to change the blade.
 
Cowboy said:
So after you loosen the bolt you can't get it out at all?
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Exactly, there is a part that the bolt you turn goes into that the blade sits on that should come out with the bolt. The first two loosened and dropped out with the bolt and the blade.

I suspect the bearing spindle that this part goes into got hot (bad bearing ?) and the splines fused together.
 
noway2 said:
Exactly, there is a part that the bolt you turn goes into that the blade sits on that should come out with the bolt. The first two loosened and dropped out with the bolt and the blade.

I suspect the bearing spindle that this part goes into got hot (bad bearing ?) and the splines fused together.
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If you need to replace the spindle don't spend the $50+ on a new one. Remove the individual bearings, get the numbers off of them, and order replacements on eBay or Amazon. My spindles took two bearings of the same type so I ordered a sleeve of a dozen for $15. Now I just rebuild them as needed.
 
Got any pictures of it? Is it actually coming loose at correct spot or a diffrent spot? The bearings in my bobcat were replaceable once you took the blade off but the spindles are prone to not coming loose or apart since its aluminum and threads gaude to get to the bearings and had to replace the whole spindle.
 
Jp8819 said:
Got any pictures of it? Is it actually coming loose at correct spot or a diffrent spot?
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Not loose at all, which is the problem. There is a bolt assembly that goes into the bearing spindle and I think it's stuck.
 
noway2 said:
Not loose at all, which is the problem. There is a bolt assembly that goes into the bearing spindle and I think it's stuck.
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60395.jpg


This is a picture of similar to how mine were on but the blade bolt went in center of shaft on bottom of spindle that once it was removed you were supposed to be able to remove that nut in the picture to take shaft out of spindle to replace blades. But after having a big wrench and 3 foot piece of pipe on it and it never moving decided to replace whole spindle. When i went to get it dealer told me they commonly sieze and reason they don’t try to replace just the bearings as the shop labor rate would exceed the part cost of the complete spindle
 
Jp8819 said:
60395.jpg


This is a picture of similar to how mine were on but the blade bolt went in center of shaft on bottom of spindle that once it was removed you were supposed to be able to remove that nut in the picture to take shaft out of spindle to replace blades. But after having a big wrench and 3 foot piece of pipe on it and it never moving decided to replace whole spindle. When i went to get it dealer told me they commonly sieze and reason they don’t try to replace just the bearings as the shop labor rate would exceed the part cost of the complete spindle
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There's a huge cost difference between paying someone to do it, and me wasting an hour of my time to replace two $1.25 bearings.
 
Brian K said:
There's a huge cost difference between paying someone to do it, and me wasting an hour of my time to replace two $1.25 bearings.
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Reason I tried for a while, even after I got the new one still tried again just to keep it as a spare until i boogered the shaft up to bad trying to hold it in a big vise.
 
Got it this morning. Used a better jack to get the mower up a bit higher. Used a torch to heat the outer shaft and since I had a better angle I was able to hit downward on the top of the blade with a hammer. A couple of times heating it and banging on it got the collar bolt I guess you would call it out of the spindle. It was pretty rusty so I cleaned it with PB blaster and a wire brush. Put new blade on and it tightened right up with the wrench. Mows much better now with three new blades.
 
If you don't already know...I used to buy my metro blades at agri supply everytime I was near Raleigh. I got each for like $5 and they were just as good and thick as the dealer blades. Just fyi.
 
McDirkale said:
If you don't already know...I used to buy my metro blades at agri supply everytime I was near Raleigh. I got each for like $5 and they were just as good and thick as the dealer blades. Just fyi.
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Good to know, thank you. We saved the old blades. They were dull, but not neat to hell. I’m hoping we can put them on a bench grinder and have a spare set.
 
noway2 said:
Good to know, thank you. We saved the old blades. They were dull, but not neat to hell. I’m hoping we can put them on a bench grinder and have a spare set.
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Should be able to just keep edges straight the last 1” or so of blade tip that the corner trys round off is where most of the cutting is done so just try to get it back to fairly square corner. Just try to keep them close to balanced when you grind on one side or other and i usually just stick something occasionally threw the bolt hole for it to balance on to check that like a balance beam. Pretty easy job if you have a vice and side grinder wih flap wheel or regular wheel but a bench grinder would work as well. About a 60-80 grit flap wheel is my preferred method since makes quick work of it.
 
@Jp8819 good suggestion. Once we get the workshop setup, we should have both. Growing up, I remember it being common for my dad or grandfather to sharpen the blades on a Saturday afternoon. Always used the bench grinder and I remember the distinct sound it made along with a cloud of orange sparks.
 
The blades on my mower are thick, like 5/16 or 3/8. I had a hard time balancing them on the little pyramid balancers. Ended up getting one of these, it works unbelievably well. It was a little spendy, but cheaper than having to buy new spindles from running unbalanced blades.


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